Isolating.

Guide’s Log, writing from the remote reaches of the Sporades Islands. We have discovered the wildlife sanctuary of Kira Panayia, home to endemic species of bird and land mammal and most importantly the exotic and rare Mediterranean monk seal. We are well out of range of communication and so we 9 have the pleasure of no distractions for the next 24 hours. It can seem unnerving in this world where we are all so constantly connected and detached at the same time….so far, everyone seems to be settling right into the isolation that comes with such a uniquely spectacular view.

The evening view from our remote anchorage of Kira Panagia.

We began our day still in the bay of Peristeria, where we plunged into water like glass. Marianne had stayed behind to bob behind the boat, and Lexi slept in (Vacation, girl!), so Miriam, Sue, Kendra, Simon and I got our swim on and covered about a mile and a half, out and back. We cruised along the southern shore which was full of ins and outs, garden beds of sea grasses gently swaying, key holes and distinct rock formations, pebbly beaches sized for three, two or one. Throughout, small and large schools of chromis – tiny little fish that come in brown and blue/black – performed parabolic dances between surface and sea floor, adding yet another dimension to it all. On the way back to the yacht, Miriam, Sue and I played with drafting off of one another, forming a swimming conga line where the person in back gets a free ride.

We climbed back aboard and settled in for a long sail to the east and barely north to this remote island where we now sit. Along the way Lulu stuffed us with lunch and a big dolphin made a brief but showy appearance. Simon and I planned a swim for 3pm…. But now it’s 245 and everyone is below decks or on various lounging mats snoozing in the breeze….should I wake them? Hmmm. Maybe I’ll join them. The swim will still be here at 4.

I love sailing with Richie & Lulu at the helm. A dolphin came to say hello!

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Yes, yes, I snoozed for about 10 minutes…the sun was shining into my nest and a cool breeze crossed between my side and top hatches. A reset for our afternoon swim!

Our enticing afternoon swim awaits…First, more napping.

I felt justified delaying our swim by an hour, as it gave a significant wind time to blow itself out. We dove in off the stern to circumnavigate a tiny island behind us. It was craggy and raw and wild – it’s amazing the ways in which you can feel the natural state of things in uninhabited places. Even the waves seem to come at you differently as they bounce off the shore. The island was quite small, so after one round, we decided to go again the other way round. After that we headed deeper into the bay to cruise the shoreline of the main island. Goats ran alongside us for a time, but the most dynamic thing we experienced was swimming through freshwater vents coming from underwater rock ledges. The freshwater mixes into the sea in ways that challenge the senses. You feel cool pulses as you pass through these invisible streams, and you can even taste the difference in the salinity. The most obvious tell is a blur in vision, like looking at something in the street through a heat wave coming from pavement. Everything seems wavy and shimmery, soft in focus and other worldly. Above water, this wild island is covered in low, scrubby vegetation dotted with large stones – it resembles the blueberry barrens of New England except for the olive trees, with their gnarled branches lined with silvery green leaves. It looks old and wise, this place. Undisturbed by anything but the goats and birds that live here.

As you can see, this is no fun.

Where freshwater meets the sea, we taste, feel and see it. A full sensory experience.

No monk seals came to investigate us today, but we did start a swimming trend as after we got out, we noticed two or three people from each of a few other boats in the bay diving in and heading for the island to check things out. It’s nice to influence people in this way. In many of the places we swim, we pass other boats at anchor with people standing on deck gawking down at us, seemingly in disbelief that we would choose to leave a perfectly good yacht to swim. Today, they all seemed to think it was a perfectly good idea.

Sue will learn that if you selfie my camera, I’m going to post it. :)

Back aboard for Lulu’s gin and tonics to wash down croque monsieurs…that’s tiny little grilled cheeses to you and me. I’ll take two, please, they’re small. Dinner was skewers of lamb and pork on rice with seasoned fruit. But the real showstopper was the orange infused chocolate mousse. Aaaaaaaanddd scene.

As I mentioned earlier, we are without internet and therefore immune to the pull of the outside world tonight (this will be posted when we get back into range). No one seems to mind, or even notice, really, enjoying conversations with one another about all manner of topics. There’s a discussion of farming in the cockpit, where Lexi, who is about to buy a farm is comparing notes with Richie about his life on their Portuguese quinta. On the bow, Lulu is updating Kendra and Simon on the progress she and Richie have made on the development of an ancient stone structure on their property into the home they now live in. It seems like these conversations, easy and fluid, might last all night.

I’m slightly relieved not to be able to upload this blog and photos tonight, as it means I might snuggle into my nest before 1030. For now, the memories made today are ours alone, a mystery to everyone following our adventure. There’s something just right about that.

Lots of cool things planned for tomorrow. We’ll start with an early swim and move along from there. Our swimmers seem ready to embrace whatever the day will bring without needing many details in advance – a sure sign that they trust their guides and crew and feel fully at home on the journey.

I hear bats squeaking in the night sky.

Goodnight, from far, far away.

Love,

Heather

PS. Okay, so I didn’t go to bed early. Instead, Kendra and I skinny dipped under the beautiful night sky amid much bioluminescence - a million stars above and below. No photos available ;).